Automatic safety gas cut-off.



J. L. CASLER.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY GAS CUT-OFF.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-18. 1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

J. L. CASLER.

AUTOMAHC SAFETY GAS CUT-OFF.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-18, I915- 1,174,825.. 7 Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2.

Jfi- CatsZei Wbtvwooco dimming J.'L. CASLER.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY GAS CUT-OFF.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 .m M m K E F D E L H N 0 H A c U P DI A o 5 2 8 I 4 7 1L 1 8 nvauto'b J CasZSe/r' Wibnzooeo m N Z m a JOHN Ir. CASLER, 0F MANSFIELD, 01:110.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY GAS CUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 18, 1915. Serial No. 9,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. Seems, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and useful improvements in automatic cutoffsfor gas burners of stoves and furnaces, the primary object of my invention being the provision of a cutoff valve which may be manually opened to permit flow ofthe gas to the burner when the latter is to be lighted and which will automatically close, after a predetermined lapse of time, if for any reason the burner is not lighted or after being lighted, the light is extinguished.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic cutoff for the above described purpose, which will be thermostatically operated, being controlled by a pilot light operating in conjunction with the burner proper, the pilot light and burner being so constructed and arranged with respect to each other that either one, if lighted,

" will light the other.

A still further object of my invention is to so arrange the cutoff mechanism and its valves that a single valve will control the flow 'of gas from the fuel supply pipe to both the main burner and the pilot light, this being the valve which the automatic cutoff closes. the result being that operation of the cutoff not only prevents escape of gas from the burner, but also from the pilot light. M I

A still further object of my invention is to so arrange the automatic cutofi' mechanism that while thermostatically operated,-

the actual cutting off or closing of the valve is mechanically performed, this mechanism being such that a predetermined lapse of time is necessary, after operation of the thermostatic means, before the mechanical means will close the valve. Because of this arrangement. it is unnecessarv to manually hold the valve in open position until the thermostatic means has become sufficiently heated to pre ent its action or to provide any secondarv holding means for the valve durino such time.

With these invention will and other o iects in view. mv be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of my automatic gas cutoff applied to a conventional type of stove; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the burner and cutoff mechanism itself being shown in plan view; Fig. 4. is a detail plan View of the burner mechanism, parts being shown in section; Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the casing inclosing the valve closmg mechanism proper; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the valve closing mechanism; Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5, but illustratmg' a somewhat modified structure.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, 10 indicates the fire box of a conventional stove or furnace, having a wall 11 provided with an opening 12 and an opening 13, the latter being above and at one side of the former opening. The burner is, of course, mounted in the fire box of the stove, being supported therein, in any suitable manner, and may be of any desired type or pattern. In the present instance, I have illustrated the burner in the form of a cylindrical tube 14 closed at each end and provided in its upper face with a plurality of spaced perforations 15 through which the gas to be burned passes. This burner is provided near one end with a trans erse partition wall 16 and, pipes 17 and 18 ead into the burner at op osite sides of the partition wall.

s will be appreciated, this construction in effect provides two burners, each having an independent source of fuel supply, a portion ofthe perforations 15 being also formed at either side of the partition wall 16 and the burner, when in place, projecting out of the stove through the opening 12 so that the partition wall 16 is somewhat outside of the stove. A housing 19, in the form of a U-' shaped pipe section, establishes communication, exteriorly of the stove, between the openings 12 and 13, the lower portion of this Patented Mar. "Z, 191%.

not shown,

1'5 a any cause, the extinguished portion of the burner will be relighted by that part which housing-19 being cut away to straddle and surround the .outwardly extending end of the burner, as best shown in-Fig. 2 of the drawings. This housing serves to conduct the burnt gases from the smaller, chamber of the burner, which part will be termed the pilot light, to-the stove" or furnace and also to inclose the thermostatlc valve controlling mechanism, as will be later explained.

The perforations are so formed both in I the burner proper and in thepilot portion; thereof that lighting of gas at the pllot light.

will cause lighting of the burner. Furthermore, if either the pilot light or burner, is lighted and the other extinguished, through remained lighted.

The pipe 17 "is provided at its free end with'an air mixer 20 of any desired or suitable t pc and the pipe 18 with an air mixer 21. three-way valve casing 22 connects themixer 20 to thefuel supply pipe 23 and a pipe 24 connects the free port of this three-way valve with a fuel controlling- I valve 25 which is also connected to the air mixer 21. This latter fuel controlling valve 25 is preferably in theform of a needle valve in order that careful adjll'stment may be insured. The three-way valve casing 22 incloses a cylindrical valve plug 26 having a diametrically extending passage 27 adapted to establish communication between the pipe 23 and mixer 20 and having its peripheral face grooved or channeled, as shown at 28 to establish a reduced communication between the pipes 23 and 24 when the valve establishes communication between the pipe 23 and mixer 20. It will-therefore be clear that the valve 26 controls the supply of gas both to the. main'burner and. to the pilot light and that as long as gas passes to either the main-burner or pilot light, it willpass to both until the valve 25 is intentionally closed. The valve plug 26 is provided with a valve stem 29 to receive a radiallyextendmg handle 30 which projects completely through the valve stem. The extended portion of this handle terminates in an eye 31' and a lmk 32 pivotally connects this eye with the free end of a lever arm 33, the opposite end of which is swingingl'y mounted upon the outer end of a shaft 40 jpurnaled .v

in opposite walls of a housing 35, the hd'using'bemg supported upon a suitable bracket 36. It should be carefully notedthat the lever 33. is free to turn independently of the shaft 40. I I

Interiorly of the housing, a second shaft 34 carries'a brake wheel 37 and. pinion 38. A train of. gears, indicated as a whole by the numeral 39, are disposed to transmit move-.'

ment from the shaft 40 to the shaft 34, being proportioned to turn the shaft 34 at a much higher rate of speed than the shaft 40. In

shaft 34, such shaft is provided with a fan orderto govern the speed of turning of the 41 or other suitable form of governor. The

train of gears and coiled-about itis the shaft 40 constitutes the drive shaftof the drive spring 42, one end ofwhich is secured to the shaftand the opposite end of which is secured to the casing, as shown The free outer end of the shaft 46 carries a crankarm 44 having a handle 45 by means of which the shaft 40 may be manually turned against the action of the spring 42 and this crank arm, at its free end, is provided with a rearwardly directed lug or portion of the lever 33. I I I I Mounted on the same bracket- 36, which supports the housing 35, is a bell crank lever 47, and a link 48, connected'jto one arm of this lever, extends through theadjacent wall shoulder 46 adapted to engagethe free end of the casing35 and is screwthreaded, as

shown at'49, in Fig. 5. A pin 50 supports I I one end of a. resilient brake arm 51 in such a manner that the brakearm may be swunginto and out of engagement with the brake:

wheel 37. This brake arm is bowed inter- T mediate its length toward the brake Wheel and has its free end bent at an angle to its body portion' andprovided'with a laterally directed terminal 52 apertured -to receive the threaded end of the rod or link 48. Clamping nuts 53- are threaded upon the link,'one upon either side of the terminal 52 of the brake arm to' clamp the link. and

106 brake arm together. It will, therefore, be

clear that turning movement of the bell crank lever 47 will cause swinging of the brake arm 51 intoor out of engagement with the brake wheel 37. The bracket 36 is provided with a lateral extension projecting longitudinally of the housing 19 and a-lever 54 is ,pivotally mounted intermediate its length upon the free end of this extension of the bracket. A link 55 pivotallyf'connects the free end of the bell crank lever'with one end of the lever 54 and a second link 56 is pivotally"connectedto the oppositeend of the lever 54 and has its .free end passed through "an outstanding ear 57 formed upon the bracket 36 adjacent the bell cranklever .47, movement of the link 56, in a direction I away from the lever 54, being adjustably f limited by a milled nut 58 threaded upon the link 56 and engaging the ear 57. The

links 55and 56 are-thermo-expansible, being closed position. In order to open the valve and permit lighting of the burner, the crank arm 44 is swung away from the arm 33 through almost a complete revolution. der these circumstances, the valve handle may be manually swung to open the valve 26 and permit flow of gas to both the pilot light and burner, these being then lighted in the usual manner. As soon as the crank arm 44 has been released, the spring 42 sets the train of gears 39 in movement and causes the crank arm 44 to start back to its original position, this movement being, however, relatively slow, due to the proportioning of the gears employed. For this reason, the pilot light will have ample time to sufiiciently heat the thermo-expansive links 55 and 56 to cause them to expand before the crank arm will reach the arm 33. The expanding of these links 55 and 56 acts through the links 54 and 47 tooperate the connecting rod or son,

link 48 to swlng the brake arm 51 into engagement with the brake wheel 37 and so prevent further movement of the train of gears,

and consequently of the crank arm 44. The valve is, therefore, still open and will remain open until the expansive links 55 and 56 become sufi'iciently cooled to release the brake arm 51. It will therefore be clear that as long as the pilot light, and consequently the burner, remain lighted, the crank arm 44 will be held against movement and the valve 26 will remain open. This valve 26 may, however, be manually closed at any time without any hindrance from the automatic closing mechanism.

If the burner is extinguished for any reaeither accidentally, or by manually closing the valve 26, the thermo-expansive links 55 and 56 will contract and swing the brake arm 51 out of engagement with the brake wheel when the spring 42 will cause turning of the shaft 40 to bring the crank arm 44 into engagement with the arm 33, to swing such arm to a valve 26, if the valve manually closed.

If preferred, the shaft 40, instead of carrying the spring 42, may be provided with a winding drum 60 to which is attached one end of a cord 61, the greater portion of which is wound about the drum, the free end being provided with a weight 62. It will of course be clear that the strain of the weight upon the cord wound about the drum will tend, at all times, to turn the shaft 40 in the same manner as the spring form previously described.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific structure shown in the drawings and described in the specification, as any changes, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made at any time, without departing from the spirit of my invention. It will also be.un-

has not already been nating purposes or furnaces position to close the 42 does in thederstood that although I have illustrated and described my automatic cut-off in connection with a burner for a stove, it is equally applicable to burners for illumiand by the term burner I intend to include any device for consuming gas either for the purposes of light or heat.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An automatic cutoff valve for gas burners including a burner and pilot light therefor, a valve controlling supply of fuel to both the burner and pilot light and including a revolublehandle, a shaft, an arm swinging on the shaft, a link connecting the arm and handle, an arm fixed to the shaft to turn therewith and adapted to engage the first arm to swing it and the handle, means tending to constantly turn the shaft, a brake wheel adapted, when held, to hold the shaft against turning, a brake arm movable into and out-of engagement with the brake wheel, and thermostatic meanssubject to the heat of the pilot light for controlling the brake arm.

2. An automatic cutoff valve for gas burners including a burner and pilot light therefor, a valve controlling supply of fuel to both the burner and pilot light and including a revoluble handle, a shaft, an arm swinging on the shaft, a link connecting the arm and handle, an arm fixed to the shaft to turn therewithand adapted to engage the first arm to swing it and the handle, means tending to constantly turn the shaft, a brake wheel adapted, when held, to hold the shaft against turning, a brake arm movable into and out of engagement with the brake wheel, and thermostatic means subject to the heat of the pilot light for controlling the brake arm, said means including a bell crank lever a link connecting one arm of the bell crank lever with the brake arm, and a thermo-expansible device operatively connected to the other arm of the bell crank lever and disposed to receive heat from the pilot light.

3. In an automatic cutoff for gas burners, the combination with a gas burner having a pilot light, of a housing surrounding and extending from the pilot light, a bracket, a lever pivoted intermediate its length upon the bracket, a bell crank lever, a thermo-expansive link fixedly secured at one end and pivotally connected to one end of the first lever, a second thermo-expansive link pivotally connecting the free end of the first lever with one arm of the bell crank lover, a link pivotally connected to the free arm of the bell crank lever, a locking device connected to the free end of the last named link, a valvecontrolling flow of fuel to the burner and pilot light, and means constantly tending to move into position to close the valve, said means being controlled in its action by the locking device which is releasi 'bllc by contraction of the thermo-expansive in s;

4. An automatic cutoff for gas burners including a burner and pilot light therefor,

a valve controlling supply of fuel to boththe burner and pilot light and including a revoluble handle, a shaft, an arm swinging on the shaft, a link connecting the arm-and handle, an arm fixed to the shaft to turn therewith and adapted to engage the first arm to swing it and the handle, means tending to constantly turn the shaft, means for governing the speed of turning of the shaft, a brake wheel adapted when held'to hold the shaft against turning, a brake arm movable into and out of engagement with the brake wheel, and thermostatic means subject to the heat of the pilot light for controllingthe brake arm.

5. In a cut off valve for stove burners, the

combination with a stove having spaced openings formed in the wall thereof, of a combined burner and pilot light extending through the first opening, a housing sur-.

rounding the pilot lightand extending exteriorly of the stove and communicating with the second opening, a cut off valve 'controlling supply of fuel to both the pilot/ light and burner, means set in operation by opening of the valve for subsequently clos ing it, and thermostatic means in the housing for preventing operationfof such last mentioned means. when the pilot light is burning. 7

6. An automatic out offfor burners including a valve adapted to control supply of g fuel to the burner, a revoluble handle for thevalve, a shaft, an arm swinging on the shaft, a link connectin the arm and handle, an

adapted to engage the firstarm to swingit and the'handle, means tending to constantly turn, the shaft, and thermostatic means adapted to be exposed to the heat of a arm fixed to the s aft to'turn therewith and burner and operable when heated to' hold vthe shaft against turnin 7. An automatic cut-o valve for burners including a valve adapted to control the supply of fuel to the burner, a revoluble handle1 I for the valve, means constantly tending to I move into position to engagev the handle and close the valve, a brake mechanism adapted,

when engaged, to hold such-.means' against 5-5 movement toward the handle, and thermostatic means adapted to be subjected to the heat of the burner for controlling the brake.

In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature 

